Butter container or the like

ABSTRACT

This invention is primarily directed to a supporting container or base for butter or the like that includes a recessed surface portion surrounded by a peripheral outwardly extending ledge and outside sealing surface adapted to mate with a cover having peripheral dimensions suitable to produce tapered fit between the two mating surfaces.

United States Patent [191 Daenen [111 3,709,397 1451 Jan. 9, 1973 [54]BUTTER CONTAINER OR THE LIKE [75] Inventor Robert Daenen, Erenbode gein, 2 2,

Belgium. e. 1

[73] Assignee: Dart Industries Inc., Los Angeles,

Calif.

22 Filed: March 18,1969

21 Appl.No.: 808,182

52 us. Cl. ..220]42 A, 150/.5, 1544/5 51 1m. (:1 .3651! 11/10, 865d43/08 581 Field of Search ..220/42 A, 42 E, 42 F, 4 A,

220/4 E, 4 F; 150/.5; D44/5, 8, 19

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D204,6l5 5/1966 Swett..D44/5 2,765,831 9/1956 Tupper... ..l50/0.5

Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance Attorney-Leigh B. Taylor, Paul R.Wylie and Harold R. Beck [57] ABSTRACT This invention is primarilydirected to a supporting container or base for butter or the like thatincludes a recessed surface portion surrounded by a peripheral outwardlyextending ledge and outside sealing surface adapted to mate with a coverhaving peripheral dimensions suitable to produce tapered fit between thetwo mating surfaces.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BUTTER CONTAINER OR THE LIKE The presentinvention is directed to a container for storing and serving of butteror the like. The container is simple to open and close, easy to clean,provides an effective moisture and odor barrier for, the contents of thecontainer, and enables a rapid and continuous cooling of the contents ofthe container to be effected. More particularly, the invention isdirected to a container which, by its construction, retains the contentsa substantial distance from its sealing surfaces and addi-.

tionally provides an area upon which serving implementsmay be cleanedalso without contacting those sealing surfaces.

A construction incorporating these features, therefore, providesimprovements and advantages over the prior art containers, particularlywith respect tocontinued effective sealing even during extended periodsof use. Such is accomplished primarily due to the recessed portion ofthe supporting container as well as the ledge that surrounds thatportion.

These as well as other advantages will become more apparent whenreference is made to the ensuring description of a preferred embodimentof the invention in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a butter container or the likeincluding the supporting container and its associated cover;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of these same two components; and,

FIG. 3 is a sectional end elevation .view taken along line 3-3 in FIG.2.

Briefly, the present invention includes a base and a cover. The base hasa substantially flat recessed, pebbled, inner surface, an upwardlyextending integral side wall that terminates in an outwardly extendingledge and a downwardly extending ledge and an outwardly and upwardlycurved flange also integral withthe side wall. The cover for the base isa hollow box-shaped member having a top wall and a continuous integralside wall affixed to and extending downwardly from the periphery of thetop wall. The underside of the cover is open, and a continuous outwardlyextending peripheral flange is positioned adjacentthe lower edge of thecover side wall. The cover fits over the base with a lock engagementsince the area of contact between the base and the cover a locking taperis provided.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the base 8 includes asubstantiallyflat recessedsurface -10 having a textured or pebbledeffect that is produced by hemispherical extensions protruding slightlyabove the flat surface and in random orientation, as best shown in FIGS.1 and 3. The surface 10 has an integral upwardly projecting peripheralside wall 12, the upper edge of which is affixed to an outwardlyextending peripheral ledge 14. This ledge in turn is integral with andsupports a downwardly directed sealing wall surface v16 that terminatesin an upwardly curved handle-like flange 18. This particular baseconstruction provides a rigid configuration and also maintains anycontained foodstuff in a position out of close proximity to scaling wallsurface 16.

As can be readily seen upon continued reference to the drawings,isolation of the container foodstuff from the sealing wall surface isgenerally effected by the ledge 10. A portion of this ledge is alsotextured in a fashion similar to therecessed surface 10 and side wall12. And as is evident from FIGS. 1 and 3, the textured portionterminates in a relief 30 immediately adjacent sealing wall surface 16.The ledge and side wall thereby further provide a convenient structuralarrangement upon which a user may readily clean any implement employedin dispensing the foodstuff without inadvertently or otherwisecontacting the sealing wall surface.

The handle-like flange 18 is peripherally positioned around the base andis preferably integral with the sealing wall surface 16. The flange lfilcurves upwardly and outwardly to permit insertion of the fingersenabling a userto easily grasp the container bothin its covered anduncovered condition. Additionally, such flange tends to rigidify thebase structure and maintains the sealing wall surface in a generallystable position so that an effective seal may be retained between thebase and cover.

The cover 21 is a hollow, box-shaped member having a top wall 22, endwalls 24 and side walls 26. Junctures between these walls are preferablyrounded to permit easy cleaning. A continuous, outwardly extendingflange 28 at a position intermediate the top wall and the terminal edge30of the end and side walls. Flange 28, however, is more closelypositioned to the terminal edge and lends support thereto. The flangeextension is somewhat less than thatofthe handle-like flange l8 andtherefore theuser can place his fingers between the two when removingthe cover while at the same time grasping flange 28.

The cover istpreferably fabricated from .low density polyethylene, thusproviding the cover with a flexible resiliency that enables it to beslippedover the base 8. In this relationship, the lower inside surfacesof walls 24 and 26 sealably engage against the continuous peripheralsealing wall surface 16 of the base. Likewise, due to the cantileveredeffect of the downwardly extending sealing wall surface 16, additionalflexibility is achieved for this portion of the base despite thepresence of flange 18. It should be particularly noted that the contactarea 32 between-walls 24 and 26 and wall 16 is large, and that each istapered at approximately 2. This is a locking taper that insures a tightseal between the base and the topnPreferably, the base is made frompolypropylene but other materials may be employed with equallygood-effects.

The pressure contact points for the cover on the base are at the fourcorners of the base. The walls 24 and 26 are tightly stretched betweenthe four corners to maintain the inside surfaces of walls 24 and 26 intaut engagement with base wall 16 between the corners thereby providingan effective seal along the entire i The container is particularlydirected tothe storage of perishables such as elongatedpieces of butter,

cheese, meat loaf or the like, but it obviously can be used for otherconsumables.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit of the essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment therefore is to be considered in all respect as illustrativeand not restrictive, the scope of the invention being dictated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and allchanges which ,come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Iclaim:

1. A storage container adapted to hold consumable food-stuff and thelike and comprising:

a base having a recessed inner surface integral with an upwardlyextending side wall, said side wall being further characterized by anoutwardly extending ledge and downwardly projecting sealing wall thatterminates in an upwardly curved flange integral with said sealing wall;

a cover having a top wall and side walls, said side walls including acontact area that is adapted to sealably engage the exterior surface ofsaid sealing wall and which area is further supported by an outwardlyextending peripheral flange positioned proximate the uppermost portionof said contact area.

2. A vapor-tight plastic container of a rectangular cross-sectionalconfiguration for storing perishables and the like comprising: i

a base including a circumferential ledge from which extend downwardlydirected side walls and a sealing wall substantially separated from saidside walls, said side walls being integrally attached to an innersurface that is recessed with respect to said ledge and said sealingwall terminating in an upwardly curved handle-like flange; and,

a box-shaped cover having integral top and side walls, said side wallsincluding an inner contact area that sealably engages said sealing wallof the base and further including an outwardly extending peripheralflange positioned proximate the uppermost portion of said contact area.

1. A storage container adapted to hold consumable food-stuff and thelike and comprising: a base having a recessed inner surface integralwith an upwardly extending side wall, said side wall being furthercharacterized by an outwardly extending ledge and downwardly projectingsealing wall that terminates in an upwardly curved flange integral withsaid sealing wall; a cover having a top wall and side walls, said sidewalls including a contact area that is adapted to sealably engage theexterior surface of said sealing wall and which area is furthersupported by an outwardly extending peripheral flange positionedproximate the uppermost portion of said contact area.
 2. A vapor-tightplastic container of a rectangular cross-sectional configuration forstoring perishables and the like comprising: a base including acircumferential ledge from which extend downwardly directed side wallsand a sealing wall substantially separated from said side walls, saidside walls being integrally attached to an inner surface that isrecessed with respect to said ledge and said sealing wall terminating inan upwardly curved handle-like flange; and, a box-shaped cover havingintegral top and side walls, said side walls including an inner contactarea that sealably engages said sealing wall of the base and furtherincluding an outwardly extending peripheral flange positioned proximatethe uppermost portion of said contact area.